


The Magic Teapot

by goingtothetardis



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Bad Wolf, Episode Fix-It: s02e13 Doomsday, F/M, Magic, Magic teapot, Prompt Fic, Romance, Telepathy, Timelines, Visions, changing timelines, doomsday fixit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-03 14:51:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10249247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goingtothetardis/pseuds/goingtothetardis
Summary: Rose makes a new friend in an alien market while the Doctor takes care of some business, and this chance meeting has the potential to change her future. Will she let it?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ZoeBelle9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoeBelle9/gifts).



> Ah, yes, so this is one of those situations when a completely innocent prompt turns into something MUCH more than it was supposed to be. ;) But whatever. 
> 
> Zoebelle9 prompted me with a tiny fic word prompt: "magic"
> 
> And this is what happened. I hope you like it!! :) The rest of the story is done, but it's not quite ready to go. 
> 
> Many many thanks to Crazygirlne for some idea input and a HUGE thanks to SelenaTerna for the beta, brainstorming, and general support with this fic.

* * *

The woman leans over her wares to whisper in Rose’s ear. “It’s magic.”

Rose looks down at the quaint silver teapot engraved with swirly designs in the palm of her hand before studying the woman, admiring her shimmering lavender hair and flowy teal dress. Tiny golden stars create a sort of crown on the top of her head, and Rose instinctively knows she can trust her. 

“Oh? How so?” She smiles and lifts the teapot to inspect it for ‘magical’ properties. Not that she knows what such a thing looks like. 

“It is unique to each one who drinks from it. However, not all have the power to wield this magic, to be receptive to the sort of magic woven into the teapot,” the woman explains. “I am Melora. Would you like to try? I have a talent in discerning such individuals, and already I can tell there is something _more_ about you.”

Rose glances over her shoulders, searching for the Doctor in both directions, but he's nowhere to be found. He must still be at the dodgy shop he didn't want her going to. She turns back to Melora. “That'd be brilliant, yeah.” Even if it doesn't work (not likely), she could do with a good cuppa. “My mate’s still taking care of his own business, an’ I could do with a break.” 

“Wonderful– Oh! Forgive me, I have not asked your name.” Melora beckons Rose to follow her behind the booth. 

“Oh, sorry! ‘S Rose. Rose Tyler,” Rose answers and squeezes past the frame of a neighboring booth. 

“Ah, Rose. Lovely name. But you, my dear, are more beautiful than a mere flower,” Melora says as she closes curtains to the front of her shop and pulls out a large wicker basket filled with small boxes. She pushes the contents around for a few moments before pulling out a wooden box with strange carvings. 

“What’s that, then?” Rose asks. 

“Why, it’s tea, dear,” Melora answers.

“Oh. Right.” Rose shakes her head, embarrassed by her question. Melora simply waves her hand in the air to dismiss Rose’s discomfort, and Rose sinks down into a comfortable mound of pillows as Melora prepares the kettle.

Rose looks around Melora’s booth and is surprised to find it’s very like a tiny flat with a living area attached to a booth. The area is cluttered with an array of eclectic items, in addition to more ordinary furnishings such as plants, and pillows and blankets. For such a tiny living space, it’s surprisingly roomy. 

“It’s not much, but… it’s home,” Melora says, pulling Rose from her observations. “I was orphaned here as a child and eventually built a life for myself in this market. The universe is filled with so many interesting people and places, and working and living here, I get to experience that.”

“‘S brilliant, the universe. Brilliant and _mad_. I live and travel with this man called the Doctor, an’ it’s the most wonderful life,” Rose says with a smile. 

When the kettle whistles, Melora pours the water into the silver teapot and drops in a small bundle of tea to seep. She continues to pepper Rose with questions while they wait. “Are you and this Doctor together as mates? Lovers?”

Rose blushes and looks down, picking at her jumper. “No. I wish– Well. I wish we could be, but he’s not into that. Doesn’t do that sort of thing.”

“Is that what he told you?” Melora asks. 

Rose sighs and looks up at her new friend. “Well, yes and no. Sometimes I think he might want more, but then he runs away. He’s got… responsibilities to the universe, an’ I’m jus’ a human who he’ll lose in one way or another before–” She stops, pausing a moment to gather her thoughts before she tells a stranger too much about the Doctor. “He lives a long time, yeah? He’s got more important things to think about than silly human emotions, so I just keep how I feel to myself.”

Melora peers at Rose who fiddles with the ends of her hair, chewing on her lip, under the intense gaze. After a moment, the shopkeeper purses her lips, hums, and turns back to the teapot without a word. 

Rose, desperate to change the subject, focuses on the tea. “So’s the tea magical or the teapot? An’ how’s it work, the magic? Is it permanent or do I have to keep drinking out of the teapot for it to work?” The words run together as she asks for information.

Melora smiles as she pours Rose a delicate china cup with decorated in glossy blue and gold swirls. “The teapot is magical, and you can use any tea you’d like. I have a collection of delicious teas from the most wonderful little planet called Majran. You should go there with this Doctor of yours. Majranan tea is something of a delicacy in this galaxy, and the tea leaves are rumored to enhance the natural senses.”

Rose’s hand freezes while reaching for her cup. “Is this gonna drug me?”

With a tinkling laugh, Melora answers Rose. “Oh, no, it’s perfectly safe. It just makes everything a little more… _alive_. Colors are more vibrant. Sounds are clearer. Touch… a little more sensitive…”

Blushing when her thoughts head toward the gutter at the last point, Rose forces herself to focus. “Is it permanent?”

“Oh no, the effects of the Majranan tea are only temporary, but since I drink it often, the effects last longer. Remember how I told you I sensed something ‘more’ about you when we first me?”

Rose nods. 

“I’m from Estar, and the women of Estar are – were – gifted empaths, meaning we can, in one form or another, sense the truth of others around us, beneath the surface of their outer emotions.” Melora picks up her own cup of tea and takes a sip, nodding at Rose’s tea still sitting on the table.

Rose picks it up, but simply holds it in her hands, anxious to learn more about the teapot before drinking. “Is it like telepathy? Can you see my thoughts?” The words come out with a little more force than she intends, but while she’s long since come to terms with the TARDIS’s form of communication, the concept of non-consensual telepathy outside of the ship still makes her uneasy. 

“Oh no, nothing like that, Rose. I admit, my gift is strengthened when drinking Majranan tea, but I am no telepath. My gift is merely to sense a person’s true being, to see beyond the complexity or simplicity of one’s mind and emotions to what lies beneath. Some are simple and uncomplicated, yet good and pure. Others are deep and vast, yet filled with hatred and evil. It’s not a matter of knowing the specific details of one’s mind, but rather, it’s sensing the most basic, fundamental essence of one’s being, one’s soul. It’s rather helpful when making friends, knowing who I can trust.”

Rose runs a finger around the edge of the cup, considering Melora’s explanation. “Okay, so what about me?”

Melora once again studies Rose with the same intense gaze as earlier. “You… I cannot quite unravel you, Rose Tyler. You are a bit of a mystery to me. I trusted you the moment I saw you, felt the overwhelming goodness and kindness of your soul, and yet– There is something undefinable about you, something I have never encountered in all my years, and it leads me to believe you have what is needed.” She nods once more at the cup in Rose’s hand. “Please, drink. It will not cause you harm.”

Rose stares into the tea for a few moments, Melora’s words churning in her mind. She still has so many questions, but really, the tea does smell delicious, and she’s already established she can trust Melora. Assured that nothing horrible will happen, Rose finally takes a sip of the tea, moaning in appreciation when the smooth liquid flows over her tongue. It’s soft and floral, with the barest hint of something like mint. The flavors aren’t something she can define with her own Earth vocabulary, but they compliment each other well. 

Then she remembers the teapot is supposed to be magical or give magical powers, so she closes her eyes, eager to know whether or not there’s any truth to Melora’s story. But… there’s nothing. No tingle of magic in her skin (does magic even tingle?), no _awareness_ that anything is any different than before. With a frown, her eyes open and she squints into her tea, as if it has failed to give her the answers to all her most demanding questions. 

Finally looking up at Melora, Rose asks, “So how’s it work, this magic? I don’t feel any different. ‘M sorry, but I don’t think it did anything to me.” Despite her initial skepticism regarding the teapot, Rose can’t help but feel slightly disappointed. Melora told a good story, but in the end, that’s all it was. A story.

“Do not doubt, lovely Rose. The teapot is a relic brought with me from my homeworld, an ancient artifact passed down through the generations of Priestesses. It was given to me before my world was destroyed by a devastating war. There are others from Estar still alive elsewhere in the universe, but I have been both burdened and blessed with the task of sharing this last gift of Estar with those worthy of it.”

Rose, while slightly embarrassed by the implication of Melora’s words, can’t help but think of the Doctor, about how he also lost his world and people from war. “I’m so sorry,” Rose says, meeting Melora’s gaze what what she hopes is understood as genuine sincerity. 

Melora waves her hand. “It is long since past, Rose. Have no fear.” She takes a sip of her tea before speaking again. “But to answer your question about the magic, it is very rare for someone to find the teapot among my wares. I like to believe it is drawn to those with the power of goodness, and only then does it show itself. It’s a funny sort of magic, unique to each one who drinks from it, as I mentioned earlier, and the magic manifests differently in everyone.” Melora chuckles. “I once met a young man, who upon drinking from the teapot, was able to recite the Ynarflan alphabet flawlessly.”

Rose giggles. “What’s that, then? What’s so special about learning an alphabet?” 

“He was from Xxroon and married a lovely lady from Ynarflan. However, the Ynarflan language is exceedingly difficult to learn, especially for one of his kind, and by gaining this ability, they were able to bridge the final barriers in their relationship. It was beautiful,” Malora explains. “Patience, X-ray vision, sight from darkness, understanding of complex mathematics– these are all things various travelers have been gifted. The magic senses the beholder and gives what… befits them most.”

“But I don’t… I’m still me, the same Rose Tyler. I can’t speak the Ynarflan alphabet. ” Rose shrugs and sighs. Just her luck, really.

Melora’s tinkling laughter fills the space. “Oh, Rose, forgive me. It is often the case that one’s gift is not immediately apparent. As I said, this magic is a funny sort of thing, unpredictable and surprising. But _never_ wrong. An Estarian teapot is always right. It may take some time, but there is no doubt in my mind about you.”

“Oh!” A little flutter of excitement bubbles in Rose’s belly, and she sits up a little taller before taking another sip of her tea. Her gaze drifts to the teapot once more, and a thought strikes her mind. “So does that mean anything?” She gestures to the swirly designs, assuming it’s just artwork, since the TARDIS didn’t translate it. 

Melora picks up the teapot and runs her fingers over the swirls, which to Rose’s amazement, begin to shift and dance over the silver surface. “It’s the ancient language of my people,” Melora says, “so old most have not heard of it. The words written on it, however, are not complicated.”

“What’s it say?” Rose asks, craning her head to read it. 

Melora tilts the teapot in Rose’s direction, and when her mind registers the words, her world tilts on its axis. 

_Bad Wolf._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something to note about this chapter -- the bit with the _thing_ that shall not be named is actually an idea I had right when I first started writing fanfic a few years ago. The idea just sat around for ages, and when I was thinking about this story, I realized it would be a perfect opportunity to use it. 
> 
> Again, thanks to SelenaTerna for the super awesome beta. It's always a bit scary trusting someone new with your stuff, and I _love_ the input she's giving me.

* * *

_Bad Wolf._

Rose stares at the teapot and clenches her fists at her sides to hide her trembling hands. Those two words _again_ , still following her around the universe after all this time. 

“Rose, dear, are you well? You are terribly pale, as though you’ve seen a spirit.” Melora places the teapot on the table and leans over to press her hand against Rose’s forehead. 

Rose shakes her head, hurriedly places her cup on the table, and jumps up. “‘M fine. I jus’… I need to go. The Doctor– he’s probably looking for me, an’ he tends to worry when he can’t find me right away, an’–”

“Rose.” Melora gently puts a hand on Rose’s arm. “Wait, please. Have I done something wrong?”

Pausing, Rose averts her gaze and shakes her head. “No, ‘s not you. I promise.”

“Then what has happened?” The bewilderment in Melora’s tone is obvious.

Rose realizes she can’t leave her new friend so abruptly without explanation, especially after such kindness. With a sigh, she turns and sits back down on the pillows. “I’ve seen those words before. Bad Wolf.” Her hands tremble in her lap, and she folds them together to still them. 

“Oh?”

“Yeah, when I first started traveling with the Doctor, those words followed us through time and space. No matter where we went, they were always there. The Doctor– he said they didn’t mean anything, but then… then we got separated, and I came back. Got his ship to help me, an’ um, something happened.” Rose takes a deep breath and with a slow exhale, prepares to reveal her secret. A secret that not even the Doctor knows but she feels is safe with Melora. It will be a relief to finally tell someone. “Thing is, his ship is alive. She’s sentient. I don’t really understand how, but when we got separated, I was with the TARDIS, an’ Mum and me mate Mickey helped open the heart of the TARDIS.”

Melora stares at Rose with rapt attention, her tea forgotten on the table. 

“See, I knew if I could get the TARDIS open, she’d know I’d do _anything_ to get back to the Doctor. And Jack,” she adds as an afterthought. “These horrible creatures, the Daleks, were about to destroy the universe, an’ I had to save the Doctor.”

A low hiss escapes Melora at the mention of Daleks. “Daleks. You know of them? I thought they were destroyed. Destroyed in the Time War with so many others.”

Rose bites her lip as an uncomfortable realization makes her skin prickle. “You know about the Time War?”

“It’s what destroyed my planet, my people. The Daleks, more specifically, but I was left on this world before the final day, and so did not experience their wrath. I have only heard stories, rumors, about what happened in those last days.”

Swallowing heavily, Rose decides to simply continue her story, not sure if Melora has any feelings of animosity towards the Time Lords. “The Daleks–” she clears her throat when her voice cracks, “the Daleks came back. ‘S hard to explain. But um, me and the TARDIS, we joined together, became the Bad Wolf. We destroyed the Daleks, an’ while I couldn’t save Jack, I saved the Doctor…” She trails off there, wincing a bit in memory of her friend and also loathe to reveal the final part of her story, certain it’s not necessary to reveal what is one of the most intimate moments of her life. Some memories are best left privately tucked away. She wonders what the Doctor would do if he found out she knew what happened that fateful day, how the memories had trickled back in the days following, how she went to her room on the TARDIS and cried before accepting the things that happened with her head held high, unquestionably accepting the new Doctor. And how she still, even now, she feels like there’s something that’s still hidden from her memory. 

Melora sits quietly for several moments while Rose picks at the bottom of her jumper, anxious about Melora’s continued silence. 

Finally, with a slight smile, Melora looks at Rose. “Now I am more convinced than ever, Rose, that you were meant to be here today. I have… learned much from you.” She sighs. “Tell me, Rose Tyler. Is this Doctor of yours a Time Lord?”

Rose fiddles with her jumper again before meeting Melora’s tired gaze. “Yes,” she admits. “He ended the War, an’ he hates himself every day because of it.” She’s unsure how Melora will react and wants to make the Doctor’s inner conflict known. Rose herself has no idea of the full scope and devastation of the Time War, but she’ll defend the Doctor until the end of time if she has to.

“I thought as such,” Melora says. “Tell him– Tell him thank you, Rose. What he did, what I heard he did, is unspeakable. Unspeakable but necessary, and I cannot imagine the burden of guilt he bears. It is something no one should have to do, and yet, he shouldered that task for the rest of the universe. And believe it or not, despite the loss of my people, I forgive him, because he had to make an impossible choice, and in doing so, lost everything.”

Rose can’t help the tear that escapes and trails down her cheek. She nods in acknowledgement and then instinctively knows it’s time to go. Standing to her feet, Rose holds her arms out in thanks. Melora welcomes the embrace, and after a moment, they separate. Rose turns to leave the same way she came in, and as she walks past the front of Melora’s booth, Melora pulls back the curtains and calls Rose’s name. 

“I’m glad he has you. Use your gift well, Bad Wolf.” And with a smile, she disappears behind the curtain.

****

&&&&&

For several minutes, Rose simply wanders through the market without much thought to where she’s headed. She’s purely focused on all that had just transpired with Melora, and she shakes her head with a laugh. Of all the mad days… To drink out of a magical teapot, be gifted with some as of yet unknown _magic_ , to learn of Melora’s origin and her familiarity with the Time War and _Time Lords_. Most notable of all, however, are Melora’s words of thanks to the Doctor. She can’t wait to tell him about her afternoon.

Rose refocuses on the buzzing market around her and realizes everything _is_ a little bit more intense after drinking the Majranan tea. A kaleidoscope of color, sounds, and smells assault her senses, and for a moment, she wonders if this is what it’s always like for the Doctor. It’s almost a bit overwhelming, but after closing her eyes and focusing on the individual sounds and smells, the initial intensity lessens. And it’s _wonderful_. It’s like seeing an alien market again for the first time, and she knows a trip to Majran to restock her tea collection is something she wants to do soon. 

Alternating between casual shopping and keeping an eye out for the Doctor’s signature coat and (really great) hair, Rose wanders in and out of shops and around the market. 

“Rose!” She hears his voice call out from some distance behind her. 

Rose turns around with a huge smile. _Finally_. Even on the safe planets, she’s always relieved when they’re back together.

Clearly the Doctor feels the same way, because he jogs to meet her, weaving through the crowds. “Hiya,” he says, and her heart flutters a bit when he wraps his arms around her, squeezing her tight and lifting her off the ground. 

She throws her head back and laughs, relishing the moment. It’s rare the Doctor’s in such a carefree mood. And _oh_ does he smell good. “Hello,” she answers, and he lowers her to the ground. “That was… unexpected. Have a good time at your ‘dodgy’ shop?” 

The Doctor cards his hand through his hair. “Yep! Got all the parts I needed.” He pats his suspiciously empty pockets and grins crookedly at her when her eyebrows raise in confusion. “Transdimensional pockets,” he explains. 

“Ahh, _transdimensional pockets_ ”, she parrots. “How did I not know?”

He giggles and bumps her with his hip, and when their hands brush together, their fingers thread together easily. It’s like he’s been waiting for an excuse to hold her hand again. Rose looks away and rolls her eyes, trying to bite back a grin. She’ll never quite figure out this daft alien. 

“So, back to the TARDIS, yeah?” Rose asks. 

“Did you get a gift for Jackie?” 

Rose’s eyes widen and she smacks her forehead with her free hand. “Bugger. I forgot.”

The Doctor looks at Rose, one eyebrow raised in incredulity. “You forgot? Rose, you were the one who wanted to go to a market to get something for your Mum for when we visit next.” His eyes narrow. “What did you do, exactly, when I was in the shop?”

Rose blushes. “Nothing.” His eyes narrow a little more in suspicion. “ Well, alright, I met this woman named Melora, yeah? An’ she invited me in for a cuppa after she saw me pick up her magic teapot.” 

“When you say ‘magic teapot,’ do you mean–” 

“A magic teapot, yes.” Rose rolls her eyes. Figures he wouldn’t believe her. She decides to take the conversation in another route. “Melora has this tea from this place called Majran, an’ it makes everything so vibrant. All the colors, the sounds, the smells.” She wrinkles her nose. “Is this what it’s like for you all the time?”

“Majranan tea? Rose, that’s…” He tugs her to a stop and cups her face in his hands, studying her intently. His touch is gentle but firm, and it sparks a fire down low in her belly. 

“That’s what, Doctor? ‘M I alright?” she asks. Melora had insisted it was safe for her to drink.

Without answering, he whips out his sonic screwdriver and waves it up and down her body a few times. Finally, he clicks his tongue, and sticks it back in his pocket. “Right as rain, you are.” 

Rose crosses her arms and glares at him. 

“Erm, sorry. There are some blends on Majran that many of the natives there drink as a mild hallucinogen. Needed to make sure your pal Melora didn’t give you the wrong stuff,” he explains in his typical know-it-all manner. 

“Doctor, I’m _fine_. She said it was safe for me to drink, an’ I believed her. So stop actin’ like I’m gonna lose my mind any second. I’m _fine_.” She sighs. “Look, you know I have good instincts; you’ve said it yourself. So stop acting like I can’t take care of myself when we split up for a while. Just trust me, yeah?”

The Doctor, at least, has the decency to look slightly chagrined at her words, so she shrugs it off and moves on, looping her elbow through his arm. 

“Come on, Doctor. Let’s go find something for Mum,” she says. 

It’s not long before they find themselves in front of a booth with all sorts of odd little trinkets and baubles. Jackie’s always liked decorative doodads like these, so Rose spends some time inspecting the shopkeeper’s wares. The Doctor wanders to the next shop, one filled with a wide variety of neck ties, and Rose knows he’ll be happily entertained there while she peruses the items here. 

Eventually, she’s drawn to a gold bauble, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. It’s got a spike on the top with ridged edges along the bulbous base. “‘Scuse me, what’s this?” Rose asks, pointing to the curious trinket. 

“Ah, it’s a weather divinator! _Bazoolium_ , it’s called!” the shopkeeper exclaims, eager to pitch a sale. He picks it up and holds it out in the sunlight. “When the weather’s sunny, it turns warm. When it rains, it turns cold! Quite the handy tool, if you ask me. Would you like to feel it?”

Rose holds out her hand, and the shopkeeper places it carefully in the palm of her hand. 

As soon as her skin touches the bazoolium, however, Rose is struck with a vivid image, a scene so real, _so lifelike_ , it feels like she’s there, experiencing it in real time. She freezes with a strangled cry. 

_She’s on a beach, a cold and desolate landscape, and a ghost image of the Doctor stands in front of her._

_“You look like a ghost,” she says._

_”Hold on,” he answers and adjusts something with the sonic, and he solidifies in front of her._

_”Can I–?” She reaches out for him, desperate to feel him under her fingers._

_”I'm still just an image. No touch.” He’s clearly trying to maintain a calm facade for her, and it breaks her heart._

_”Can't you come through properly?” She thought he’d found a way through the Void, but now she knows he’s here to say goodbye._

_”The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse.”_

_”So?” She’s not really serious, but for a moment, she lets herself be selfish._

_”Where are we? Where did the gap come out?”_

_”We're in Norway.” Bloody fucking Norway._

_”Norway. Right.” He’s clearly confused, so she decides to explain further._

_”About fifty miles out of Bergen. It's called 'Dårlig Ulv Stranden'.”_

_”Dalek?” He’s immediately on edge. Fucking Daleks, she thinks. She’ll destroy them again, if she has the chance._

_”Dårlig. It's Norwegian for bad. This translates as Bad Wolf Bay.”_

_Bad Wolf._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the cliffie again. ;) Don't worry!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to SelenaTerna for the beta. <3

* * *

The vision disappears the moment the Doctor’s warm, familiar arms wrap around her from behind, catching her before she falls to the ground. The bazoolium drops from her hand and clatters to the ground, rolling away, forgotten. 

Over the rush of blood in her ears, Rose hears the shopkeeper yelling at her about purchasing the bauble, but it’s the Doctor’s soothing voice she focuses on.

“Rose. _Rose_. It’s okay, you’re okay. Come on, Rose.” He gently leads her away from the booth, ignoring the irritated grumblings of the shopkeeper, until he finds a bench tucked against a wall. Rose leans heavily into the Doctor as he slowly lowers both of them to the bench. She curls into his side, still reeling from the vision, and a muffled sob escapes. 

“Rose, look at me.” His voice is low and soothing, almost able to hide his concern and fear. She pulls back just enough to look in his eyes, but still clings tightly to his arm. “There now, that’s better. Now, what happened?” 

Rose sniffs and lets the vision float through her memory again. It’s so heartbreakingly real that just reliving the memory sends her into a fit of panic and grief. The beach, the Doctor looking like a ghost, the overwhelming understanding that whatever they were doing was a _goodbye_. She’s wracked with sobs, and this time she can’t hold them back. 

Through her tears, Rose dimly registers the sensation of moving, but she blindly clings to the Doctor as though her life depends on it. A small part of her is embarrassed by her uncharacteristic display of almost violent emotion, but some inexplicable part of her knows what she saw in the vision is _oh so very real_ , and she can’t help but express the emotions associated with such horrifying thoughts. 

At long last, Rose’s sobs come to a ragged end. She hiccups a few times and blows noisily into the wad of tissues the Doctor gently places in her hand. Opening her eyes, she realizes they’re back in the TARDIS, in the library, and she’s sitting sideways in his lap, gripping the lapels of his jacket. His arms wrap around her in a comforting embrace. The Doctor must have carried her all that way through the market to get back to the ship. 

“Rose?” The Doctor pushes her back slightly, and his brown eyes bore into hers, his gaze heavy with worry. “The TARDIS insists you’re fine and that you don’t need the medbay – in fact she hid the room and seems to think the library is the best place to be right now.” He scowls at the ceiling. “But _blimey_ Rose, what happened? I saw you holding what looked like bazoolium, and then you just–” He mimes her almost falling to the ground. 

Rose runs her hands down her face and decides she needs a strong cup of tea and a few minutes to rinse her face off before talking to the Doctor about this. The long, emotional cry has left her feeling drained and exhausted. “Doctor, I’ll explain everything, I promise. But I really need to use the loo, and it’d be brilliant if you could make me a cuppa in the meantime. Better yet, just bring in a teapot–” 

A thought strikes suddenly, and her eyes widen. “Oh my god!” She jumps off the Doctor’s lap with her hands over her mouth, her earlier fatigue forgotten with the surge of adrenaline.

The Doctor jumps up with her, and gently grabs hold of her arms. “Rose! What is it?” He’s nonplussed, completely bewildered by her erratic behavior. 

“Oh my god,” Rose repeats again as a bubble of laughter escapes. It’s not funny at all, but the timing of her vision so soon after drinking from the magic teapot cannot simply be a coincidence. 

Clearly at a loss of what to do, the Doctor looks at her like she’s completely lost her mind, and shoves his hands in his hair in exasperation, muttering about mixed signals and barmy women named Rose. 

Tea can wait, she decides. It’s time for answers.

****

&&&&&

“Remember how I told you Melora made me Majranan tea in a magic teapot?” Rose asks the Doctor, plopping back down on the couch.

The Doctor eyes her warily but follows her cue to sit on the couch. “Yes, I do, but Rose– Please tell me what’s going on.”

“I’m explainin’, Doctor, but I have to start at the beginning for it to make sense, yeah?”

He nods somewhat reluctantly, and much to her relief, doesn’t say anything else. 

Rose dives into the story, recalling her time with Melora. His eyes narrow as Rose talks about Melora’s sense that she’s _more_ , somehow, then widen when Rose explains Melora is one of the last survivors from Estar. 

“Said she’s something like an empath, can kinda…” Rose scrunches her face, trying to remember Melora’s exact words. “Oh! ‘S like she can sense a person’s true being, like if they’re good or bad. I thought she meant telepathic, but she said it’s not that.”

The Doctor shifts on the couch and turns to better face Rose. “She must be one of the Priestesses of Estar. To my knowledge, there were all destroyed during the Time War with the rest of their planet.” His eyes darken with guilt and grief. “The Priestesses used their powerful gifts for good, but Estar, like so many other planets, simply got caught in the crossfire. They’re gone now.” He slumps against the couch and closes his eyes. 

Rose’s heart aches for him and the weight of guilt he bears. “Doctor,” she says softly, “look at me.” He does, and she prepares to relay Melora’s important thanks. “There’s more to tell about the teapot, but first I have to tell you what Melora said. She figured out you’re a Time Lord, an’ she wanted me to say…” Rose pauses, trying to calm her wobbly emotions. “She wanted me to tell you thank you for doing what you did. She said even though what you did is unspeakable, it was necessary… an’ she forgives you.” 

The Doctor drags his hands down his face. “How can anyone forgive what I did? I destroyed her people, her planet.”

Rose reaches over and places her hand over his knee, squeezing it gently. He covers her hand with his. “First of all, _you_ did not. The Daleks did that. She said no one should have to do what you did, in the end, but you stood up and took on that responsibility for the rest of the universe, despite knowing you’d lose everything yourself.” He’s listening intently, she can tell, but is focused on his hand over hers on his leg. “I forgive you, too, you know. I know you, Doctor, and everything you do is for the good of others.”

Raising his head, he looks at her with pure incredulity. 

“An’ I know you can’t forgive yourself yet. Maybe you never will. But Melora does. I do. I see more than the things you’ve done, you know,” Rose says, biting her lip anxiously, hoping he’ll accept what she offers. 

There’s a terribly long silence that drags out for several minutes. Rose fidgets restlessly. Finally, the Doctor swallows heavily and meets her gaze, nodding in acknowledgement of her words. It’s enough, for now. 

“So, um,” she continues, trying to find her place in the story after such a heavy moment. “So I drank the tea, an’ nothing happened. Nothing at all. Not sure what I was expecting, to be honest, but she said it was a magic teapot, so I sorta thought… Well, I thought it’d be more _magical_.”

“ _Well_ ,” the Doctor says, regaining some of his signature snark with a raised eyebrow. 

“Oi, none of that, now.” She shoves him gently. “Melora said it might take some time for the gift – the magic – to show up. So I left an’ looked for you. When the shopkeeper put the bazooli-thingamajig in my hand…” The vision flashes through her memory, and she flinches. 

In an instant, the Doctor’s momentary lightheartedness disappears, and he’s purely focused on her. “Rose, what happened?”

Rose decides to take the direct route. “I think I saw the future, Doctor. Something bad happens, an’ we get separated. We’re on a beach… in Norway. Bad Wolf Bay. An’ you’re there but… just an image, I think. Not _really there_. It’s a… it’s a goodbye.” 

The Doctor stills, sits frozen on the couch, not even breathing. 

Rose continues without pause. “Thing is, Doctor– The teapot has the words ‘Bad Wolf’ written on it. It’s Bad Wolf all over again, an’ I think I was supposed to come here, to meet Melora, to drink from the teapot. What if the magic I’ve been given is the ability to see the future? Can we change it?” Tears stream freely down her face once more. “Doctor, please. Say something.”

He exhales, long and ragged, and when their eyes meet, Rose’s stomach flips unpleasantly at the empty, haunted look in his eyes. 

“You shouldn’t be able to have a vision like that. Can I see it, Rose? Please?” He holds out his hands toward her temples, and she understands his wordless request.

She bows her head so he can position his hands, and suddenly he’s there in her mind. His presence there is beyond anything she’s ever experienced, something she’d love to experience more of, but she shoves that thought aside for now and tries to show him the vivid memory, still burning in her mind. After a moment he gasps and pulls back suddenly. She’s left feeling slightly bereft of his presence, even though he’s sitting in front of her. 

She looks at him, and he’s sitting quite still with his eyes closed. “Timelines,” he murmurs. 

“Timelines?” 

“You are a mysterious creature, Rose Tyler,” the Doctor says, looking at Rose as though he’s seeing her for the very first time.

“What?” Out of all the things she thought he’d say, _that_ was not it.

“This vision you had, it’s a timeline you should not have been able to see, because it’s your own. And now, impossibly so, it exists no more,” he says, his tone urgent and intense. 

“What do you mean?”

“I should have felt the shift in timelines the moment you touched the bazoolium, but I was distracted by your reaction and shoved my time sense to the back of my mind because I was worried about you. Rose, what you saw, it _was_ our future. I can still see the ghost of that timeline, now, a terrible battle that would have torn us apart forever.”

Rose scoots closer to the Doctor, haunted by the phantom sensation of grief and loss, and he shifts to wrap his arm around her and pulls her close to his side. 

“From what I can see, magic or not, drinking from that teapot was the catalyst to the changes in our timeline. Meeting Melora, Bad Wolf again, the vision– it’s all connected somehow, even though I can’t quite explain _how_ , exactly, the timelines changed. In this timeline, you drank from the teapot, which according to you, quite possibly enabled you to have this vision after touching the bazoolium. In the original timeline, you were supposed to give Jackie the bazoolium.” He chuckles without real humor. “I don’t believe you’d like to go back for it now.” 

Rose shudders. “Hell no.”

“I thought not. Bad Wolf, I think, led you here–” he starts but is interrupted by Rose, who recalls the words she’d said once before, so long ago, with the power of the Vortex running through her veins.

“ _A message to lead myself here..._ ”

The Doctor stills. “You remember that?” 

Rose peers up at him. “More than just that, actually.” She swears the tips of his ears turn slightly pink.

The Doctor coughs and tugs on an ear. “Oh? I thought I… Never mind.”

“You thought you hid the memories?” It’s a rather blunt question, but now is the time for honesty. 

“Erm, well, yes. But you were burning, Rose, and I had to save you…” he trails off weakly.

“‘S fine, Doctor. Jus’– Tell me next time, yeah? They’re _my_ memories, and I deserve to know what happened.”

He hums noncommittally, and Rose realizes she’ll need to return to this topic because of this daft alien always doing what he thinks is best for her, even when he _doesn’t_ always know best. She fears it’s a habit he won’t abandon any time soon. 

She refocuses on the current matter at hand. “So how can you tell we’re on a new timeline? Does that mean what I saw – the beach an’ all that – won’t happen?”

“There’s a shift in the timelines, a subtle one, but I can feel the change. And the storm I’ve felt building ever since Krop Tor, well– It’s gone.” 

Rose closes her eyes and collapses into the Doctor’s side with relief. The tension in her body flies away, tension she realizes she’s been holding since almost losing the Doctor to that bloody black hole, and she’s now left with a sense of clarity. Almost losing the Doctor – the possibility of which had been amplified tenfold with her vision – reminds her how precious and fleeting life is, even for her as a human, and how fear should not be allowed to rule her life. She pulls back from the Doctor with an air of determination. 

“Rose?” he asks, brow furrowed.

“Doctor, we almost got separated forever _again_ , and I never got a chance to tell you how I feel.” His eyes widen, and she grins. 

Slowly, in case he chooses to hold hold back, she swings a leg over his so she’s sitting on his lap to better face him, and she takes his tie in her hands. “Doctor, I love you,” she says fiercely, “an’ if it’s alright with you, I’m gonna kiss you, now.”

He lets out a little squeak of surprise but doesn’t pull away, so Rose pulls him closer with his tie until her lips hover just over his. 

Much to her surprise, the Doctor closes the remaining distance first, and the moment their lips touch, another brilliant vision flashes through Rose’s mind. 

_A future, an impossibly long life, stretches out in front of her._

_Adventure, danger, heartache, laughter, joy._

_Love that is fierce, protective, and true._

_His hand in hers._

_Forever._

They gasp simultaneously and pull back to look at each other in shocked surprise. “Did you see–?” Rose asks. 

The Doctor smiles and nods. “And it is gonna be…”

“ _Fantastic_ ,” they say together, before melting into each other once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all your lovely reviews, comments, and tags! This was a fun little thing to write. <3

**Author's Note:**

> Find me at goingtothetardis.tumblr.com! :)


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